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A History of Mennonite Workers' Peace Mission since the Korean War (1951-1971) by Daniel Choi


North Korea's attack on South Korea led to the Korean War, resulting in tens of thousands of victims and war orphans. Even missionaries who entered South Korea and were engaged in missionary work were repatriated or forced to flee to the South, where North Korea had not yet attacked. Because of the war, no one could enter South Korea and take care of the orphans who were bleeding and suffering without U.N. approval.


At this time, they begged the U.N. Secretary-General and the U.S. Secretary-General to come to Korea directly, distribute relief supplies directly to war orphans, and allow them to take care of them. These were peace workers of the Mennonite community, called one of the historical peace churches. At the suggestion of the U.S. Secretary-General and the U.N. Secretary-General, Dallas Voran, a member of the Mennonite community, took his first step into Korea as a U.N. employee.


Following Dallas Voran, 77 volunteers came to Korea for 20 years and successfully implemented large-scale relief projects, vocational schools, hospital missions, teacher education, and economic self-support policies. Among the volunteer activities they did was reconciliation between Korea and Japan, which had long been in conflict at the time. As the first civilian-based conflict transformation program in Korea, this program was very professional and successful. Many young Korean and Japanese participants in this program shed tears and shared forgiveness and love for each other.


In addition, since the Korea mission, Mennonite peace volunteers have helped North Korea. They are engaged in various activities, such as North Korean relief and inter-Korean reconciliation.


It describes the impressive activities, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding wisdom Mennonite peace workers displayed during the Korean War, commonly called the "fathers of orphans." https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-history-of-mennonite-workers-peace-mission-since-the-korean-war-daniel-choi/1143743927


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